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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Tips: Missing fish? Get sensitive...

A Few Thoughts On Nymphing

Nymphing should be easy. At least that is what the fly fishing world seems to hint. I think it is true... that is once you "get it." However, it can be a definite struggle to "get it." It was for me at any rate.

When I first began nymphing my abilities were quite dismal. I'm no pro, and Shane can outnymph me any day, (though I would dare to say he could outnymph anyone) but I am much better now than I was at the beginning. Here are a couple lessons learned the hard way, and some simple tips.

Depth Is Key. This I think is the biggest factor to understand when nymphing. If you aren't right on or near the bottom, you won't be in the zone. I had a tendency to fish either too shallow or too deep. Nymphs naturally roll along the bottom of the water column, bouncing in and out of the cracks between rocks. Sometimes fish pick the stationary bugs up off the bottom, but more often they take them as they drift downstream.

To get into the zone, the proper weight and leader/tippet length is essential. Water current lifts line, and keeps it suspended more than most people think. Too little weight and you will occasionally get an aggressive fish, but will miss far more chances than are possible. Too much weight and you will constantly catch the bottom, keeping you from getting an effective and consistent drift. Also, if your leader/tippet to indicator distance is too much, fish will be taking your fly and you won't have a clue.

One of the best ways to tell if you are in the zone is to watch your indicator. If you can see it occasionally bump the bottom or drop down, you are in a good place. The key word here is "occasionally." If after multiple casts it doesn't do anything, you need to be deeper. Either add a little more weight, or move your indicator up the leader. Knowing which thing to do in which circumstances takes practice and experience, but they both have their places. When in doubt reevaluate the water depth and add weight or length to your leader in very small increments. The second way to tell if you are getting in the zone is if you are catching fish. More often than not, you will catch fish, if you are getting in the zone, even if you aren't using the most effective fly. If your indicator tanks on every cast you are too deep or have too much weight. The more vertically your flies present, the more sensitive your indicator will be when a take occurs (think of a 90 degree angle with your indicator as the vertex).

Learn To Read An Indicator. The second biggest struggle when improving your nymphing is knowing how to read what your indicator is doing. This is much easier, once you get the idea of proper depth down because you will be setting less and hooking more. The two main actions I see when using an indicator are a slow lazy sinking motion and an abrupt diving motion. You can guess which is more likely to be a fish, however either can be a take. Setting on everything is a good practice, but if you make multiple casts in a run and know right where that rock is that keeps taking the indicator down, you can give a light tug to keep it going while in the zone. That may get you into the fish behind the rock that you would have missed with a full set taking you out of the zone.

Sometimes fish are suspended and feeding higher in the water column but
this is more the exception than the rule. These times are fun because
you know when your indicator tanks it is always a fish. Sometimes
fishing shallow is the only way to avoid losing multiple flies, but you
will almost always catch more fish when you go deeper.

Watch out for line drag. It will always fool with your indicator and pull your flies away from the zone. The longer you maintain a drag-free drift, the more likely your are to get a hookup. If you have to mend (which is almost always essential) make it quick and do it right the first time.

Balloon Indicators Are Sensitive. Using a small water balloon for an indicator is nothing new to the fly fishing world, but I thought re-mentioning its benefit wouldn't hurt. If you keep missing fish, or are fairly certain you are in the zone but aren't recognizing bites, you might give this method a try. You can see even the slightest bumps when using them, just try it and you will see. One disadvantage to using them is that the method kinks up your leader pretty bad. They can also pop if you have weak balloons. Despite these potential cons, they can be a great go to when the fishing is tough due to a light bite.

Weight Types And Placement. When fishing faster water, getting down deep requires weight. Some guys prefer to put it into the fly, others prefer to use shot. I do both. When using a rubber-legs (or any other largeish imitation) I usually tie the weight into the fly. When fishing smaller bugs, I often use shot. Tungsten is an excellent way to get weight into smaller flies as well, just a bit more pricey.

When using shot, there are different ways to fish it. Some put it above the lead fly. Others place it between their lead and trailer flies. When using an indicator I usually opt for the in-between flies approach. However, when high-sticking or swinging I prefer to attach a very light section of tippet to the trailer fly, tie a simple overhand knot in the end and put a shot just above the knot. I find I get fewer snags with this approach, and when I do get snagged it is usually on the shot. It breaks free, I tie a new knot and add another shot. If you are fishing a pretty "snaggy" run with an indicator, but still need to get down, this method can also be effective. Another thing to note is that multiple smaller pieces of shot will give you less snags than one larger shot will.

Ultimately the "feel" that is so essential in fly fishing comes through experience, so get out there and try something new.

Good stuff Chris. Before I became a lowly carp angler, I used to be relatively proficient nymphing. My two rules of thumb were the old adage of "the difference between a good nympher and a great nympher is a split shot" and "look for a reason to set the hook on every drift." You laid out some great stuff here.

Well, I thank you for writing a post right up my alley! Being the "nymphing" damsel that I am... I have put on an indicator since I began this whole thing. Then, play with the weight of the flies and shot. But, occasionally, I put on Czech nymph and hit rock bottom. = ) Great way to catch fish since most of them are on the bottom of the river bed.

Love the article - great tips! Thingamabobber is an amazing indicator a must try if you nymph much. It's pretty much a balloon. I like how light it is and you can move it if you need to. You place it at one and a half times the depth you are fishing. Of course tungston beads help you get down fast but if you need to add weight you can also leave some tag end off of one of your flies and put micro shot onto that. That way you wont lose your fly if you are on a rocky bottom. If you dont snag every once and a while you probably need more weight.

Thanks UO! Excellent advice. I haven't thought of leaving a tag end with some micro shot, I'll have to try that. Glad you mentioned thingamabobbers. They are pretty much all I use. I only use balloons when the fish are being fickle. Tying the leader and tippet directly to the indicator(thingamabobber) is another method for light bites. It allows for a better angle in the line (more of a right angle). It increases the sensitivity considerably, but is a pain in the neck if you need to adjust your depth. Thanks again for the input and great advice.

That was well done! May I add something? Long ago I read of a man who used a swivel as weight. It clicked, he's missing half the boat! I added a dropper to a size 12 or 14 barrel swivel tied on the bottom with the longer trailer fly. very few tangles. 6-8" dropper, 2' trailer. You can use a variety of flies and tippet sizes. I put shot above swivel and always with whitefish and trout use a yarn indicator, to me they skate across the water better. Just a thought.

I do have them sink when I am hot. But I honestly believe they allow a better drift of the flies below. By the way, both dropper and trailer tied to the bottom loop of the swivel if that was not clear.

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Who am I?

Hi there. My name is Chris. I was born and raised in Idaho, where I currently reside with my wonderful little family. I am a husband, father, school teacher, and avid fisherman. I love chasing trout, carp, steelhead, and any other fish for the tug. Fly fishing is the passion, but I'm all for catching fish no matter where or how. I am so passionate about fishing that it sometimes becomes a fault. This passion spills over into much of my life, and has resulted in writing, photography, and invention. It has driven me to explore new places, techniques, and times to fish. I hope you enjoy something of what has been shared. Who knows, maybe I'll see you on the water sometime.